BECAUSE PIT-FIRED POTTERY can't hold liquids or food, people describe it as non-functional. I disagree.

Its function is to please the eye--with colors and marks that conventional glazes just can't achieve. Its function is to delight and surprise the viewer with patterns that evoke landscapes, solar systems and faces. And because each pot is singularly unique, its function is to promise its holders exclusivity, and give them the simple satisfaction of knowing that their piece is unrepeatable, one of a kind and distinctively theirs.

Pots are not food safe

Pit-fired pots are not glazed; instead, their coloring comes from organic materials including horse manure, egg shells, banana peels, salt and others. The absence of glaze combined with low-fire bisque temperatures also means the pots are not vitrified--they haven't turned into glass. This makes them more porous and delicate than ordinary glazeware. And although most surfaces are finished with wax, polish or acrylic spray to enhance the colors and provide an outer layer of protection, pit-fired pots are still susceptible to stains from food or liquid, as well as fading if exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time.

Care for the pots

Keep pots out of direct sunlight, otherwise colors may fade over time.

Polish or clean with a dry or slightly damp cotton cloth and dry thoroughly. Do not apply furniture polish or wax.

Do not put pots in dishwasher or submerge under water.

Each pot is unique

Although the pot's form can be duplicated (ie, I can make several bowls of the same size), the effects from organics and materials, how the colors combine, and the specific shades and shadows of each pot can never be replicated.